Their kind of town, Chicago is, for the 104 equine superstars, including 23 Europeans, pre-entered yesterday for the eight Breeders’ Cup World Thoroughbred Championship races, to be run a week from tomorrow at Arlington Park.

Highlighted by the $4 million Classic, which could decide Horse of the Year, the Breeders’ Cup boasts total purses of $13 million and change. NBC will televise all eight Grade 1 stakes live from 1-6 p.m. (Eastern). There is a guaranteed Pick 6 pot of $3 million on the last six events.

The mile-and-a-quarter Classic, which drew the maximum 14, shapes up as a showdown of the nation’s top three 3-year-old colts: War Emblem, winner of the Kentucky Derby and Preakness; Medaglia d’Oro, who took the Travers; and Came Home, coming off a victory over older horses in the Pacific Classic. Medaglia d’Oro is the lukewarm favorite. “He’s a different horse than he was in the spring,” said trainer Bobby Frankel, “bigger and stronger.”

The Americans could face two of Europe’s best, both trained by Irish wunderkind Aidan “Baby Face” O’Brien: Rock of Gibraltar, a sensational miler who’s won a record seven Group 1 races in a row, and Hawk Wing, a Group 1 winner at the distance. Neither colt has raced on dirt before, but O’Brien’s Johannesburg made the transition from grass last year to win the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.

Rock of Gibraltar is cross-entered to run in the $1 million Mile on turf, where he’d be heavily favored. The Mile is oversubscribed with 24 pre-entries, including Rock of Gibraltar’s stablemate Landseer. O’Brien also has the favorite, High Chaparral, for the $2 million Turf at a mile-and-a-half, which lured just nine pre-entries. Winner of the English and Irish Derbys last spring, High Chaparral came off a long layoff to finish third last time out in France’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.

Many of O’Brien’s Ballydoyle horses were knocked out by a cough over the summer, and he said, “After the year we’re having, if they give a good account of themselves, that will be a good day.”

The Breeders’ Cup’s opening stanza, the $2 million Distaff at a mile-and-an-eighth for fillies and mares, is headed by Horse of the Year candidate Azeri. Based in California, 4-year-old Azeri has won seven of eight starts this year. But she faces stiff opposition from Summer Colony, who beat her last March, along with America’s leading 3-year-old fillies: Farda Amiga, Imperial Gesture and Take Charge Lady.

The spotlight falls on the stars of the future in the $1 million Juvenile and Juvenile Fillies, both run for the first time this year at a mile-and-an-eighth.

Unbeaten Storm Flag Flying looms the strong choice in the Juvenile Fillies, a race her mother, My Flag, won in 1995.

In the Juvenile, Sky Mesa figures a slight favorite over Vindication. Both colts are undefeated in three starts.

The fastest horses in the world will clash in the $1 million Sprint at six furlongs. Orientate will be favored in a field full of speedsters.

In the $1 million Filly & Mare Turf at a mile-and-a-quarter, last year’s winner, Banks Hill, returns to defend her title.